The Columnist Manifesto

It's almost September, and to my astonishment, the Mets have quietly slipped into contention for a post-season berth. Well, maybe not quiet if you listen to New York area sports talk radio, which I don't. At 67-60, they're only 1.5 games behind the wild-card frontrunning Phillies and even have a shot at catching the braves, who lead by only 5 games.

The question is whether the Mets recent 8-2 run (including an impressive 4 game sweep in Arizona) represents a transformation of the team from the archetypal win-three, lose-three .500 team they've been all year into a .600 team (i.e., that can win at least 21 of its next 35 games). The lack of a such transformation is why teams that have kept close, like the Cubs or even the Brewers, are really out of the race.

The Mets may be transformed because (1) they have a couple of rookies and near rookies who are starting to realize their upside potential (David Wright, Victor Diaz); (2) a surprise impact rookie (Mike Jacobs) who may be the real thing; and (3) the return of Steve Trachsel to solidify a pitching rotation with surprising top-to-bottom quality. There are dozens of reasons why the Mets should fail, but their hope of winning the wild card doesn't rest on the typical vain wish that underacheivers will start playing better.

If you follow the Mets at all, please join me in saying "what's up with that weirdly idiotic internet poll on your official web site?"
If they stick with a five man rotation, don't you have to at least consider that the "spot starter" should be the erratic 8-10 Victor Zambrano?